The United Brotherhood of Carpenters’ and Joiners of America, Local 93 and Local 2041 put shovels in the ground on Nov. 19 to kick off the construction of their new state-of-the-art training centre.

The $18 million, 65,000 sq. ft. facility to be built in Kanata at 8650 Campeau Dr. will be a new, ultramodern skilled trades training and education facility for carpentry, interior systems, flooring, scaffold and other areas.

The Carpenters Union selected M. Sullivan and Sons Ltd. to be the general contractor.

The new training centre will offer expanded training programs and will provide centralized and seamless training for all apprentices and journeypersons by bringing both locals under one roof.

“Creating training opportunities for skilled tradespeople is critical if we are to keep up with industry demand,” said Rod Thompson, president, Local 93 and eastern region co-ordinator. “We are very excited to be building this new facility in Ottawa. It will ensure that our skilled workers remain on the cutting edge of their trades by receiving the highest level of training possible.”

Construction is booming in the Ottawa region and with statistics showing that more than 230,000 construction workers will retire over the next decade, it’s essential that the shortage of skilled workers be addressed, the Carpenters Union said in a news release.

Ottawa deputy mayor Mark Taylor and city councillor Marianne Wilkinson joined union members at the groundbreaking ceremony. “The City of Ottawa relies on attracting and retaining tradespeople with the latest skills and training,” Taylor said. “Training people locally not only creates rewarding long-term employment but it helps us become a more dynamic and prosperous city.”

Correction Note: We erroneously originally published the address for this project as 765 Green Creek Dr., an address in Gloucester.)